A Year Of Kyoto Fun
Hello!!

I've already been to Kyoto twice, but only for day trips and a week at most.  Its my favourite city in the world!!!  So many cool things I can't even begin to describe my love for that town!!  On that note I was wondering how much it would cost to live there for a year at least, and how easy it was to get a job there without any teaching or other university level skills, and only a VERY basic understanding of proper Japanese (I don't even know Kansai dialect!).  I've only ever lived there as an exchange student so I have no real idea on the living expenses but I want to try to stay there for a year at least (I'd live my whole life there in a perfect world) so any help you can give me will help so very much!!  THANK YOU!!!!

Jake

Current Mood: hopeful

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Abe No Seimei
I am pretty sure his shrine is in Kyoto ,but I am also pretty sure his grave is there as well .

Is it one in the same,or are they different places altogether ?
And can anyone direct me to a good reference to find both places ?
Thank you .

Current Mood: busy

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Staying in Kyoto
Hi everyone.

I'll be spending a week in Kyoto in October and I have a question - what area would you recommend to stay in? I know everyone has different preferences and is interested in different things, so I'd like to hear in where you personally would recommend. As a women travelling alone I’m a bit reluctant to stay anywhere too far out, so I was considering around Kyoto Station or Gion - how do these areas compare to the rest of the City?

I know its a bit of a vague question, but all input is appreciated. Thanks loads in advance for your help!

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Kyoto legend in the making?
Hello everyone! I had an interesting conversation with my sister the other day, and I was curious to know how many other people had had this experience. I spent a year in Japan and visited Kyoto four times on vacations. My sister did a 4-month study abroad homestay in Kyoto. Walking around one day, she ran into this weird old man with good English, who insisted she help him correct the English in this paper he was writing for a PHD or somesuch. He wouldn't let her alone until she'd at least looked at a couple paragraphs.

A few days later, she and some friends ran into a group of foreigners who were standing around correcting sheets of paper. When asked what on earth they were doing, they told the same story of a crazy old guy who harrassed them with paper corrections until they finally gave in.

This story triggered a memory I'd forgotten all about. Near Gion on my first trip to Kyoto, I ran into the SAME old guy with my friends. We were looking for a restaurant and told him we were busy, but he followed us for two streets until we finally admitted defeat and checked paragraphs for him in this huge, dictonary-sized tome he was carting around with him. This guy is sort of skinny with glasses, has very good English (which makes you wonder why he needs corrections from random gaijin in the street), and says he's working on a PHD thesis.

What I want to know is, has anyone else who's been to Kyoto seen this man? Also, a challenge: for those of you who will visit in the future, can someone maybe find out who on earth this guy actually is? Within common sense for saftey of course ^_^

I think we may have the makings of little Kyoto urban legend here...

Cross-posted to japanophile

Current Mood: curious

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found this community eventhough it appears to be a bit abandoned ;; i was thinking about starting something like this -- never got around to it -- but i'm glad somebody else did. i lived in kyoto for over a year at doshisha university on a fellowship. it was really a joy to have lived there and the pictures on this site really bring me back with thick nostalgia. there are so many neat places in kyoto, its hard to list all of them. daimonji montain was a favorite haunt. of couse, musashi sushi was just the best kaiten sushi in town ... theres this little old tango cafe called "calpusita" (or something) run by a hunch backed octogenerian. it took over 45 mins to get a cup of coffee, the insides were decorated with wrought iron and red tapestry. the old lady was senile as a bat. it was squished in between two pink ero girly places replete with young japanese male touts in suites and Gastby slicked hair. she would come out to water her flowers as they sleazed it up with drunken horny salarymen. the coffee was really pretty decent -- it was good place to stop about for an hour, lounge in the surreal atmosphere, smoke a few lucky strikes, listen to tango on those old speakers, watch the old girl scuttle around.

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Update to my site :D
It finally happened! I have a portion of my Japan photographs up now, featuring Kyoto :D Enjoy, everyone!
http://www.flame.org/~calger/photodm1.html

Here's a preview:




Current Mood: accomplished

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Festivals in Kyoto
I want to share this Link because it rocks.

http://raku.city.kyoto.jp/data/cssys/bulletin/buttone2.html

Especially check out the Festivals button on the upper left. That is where i get 90% of my information about what shinto and buddist festivals are going on in Kyoto any given month. The descriptions of the festivals are good and they even have maps and access information for all the locations.

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Nice to meet you all~
Hello, I'm going to be going to Doshisha University (Imadegawa campus) from April of this year til next year. I can't wait~ I also did a year of high school in Kyoto, so I love it there and can't wait to go back!

I can't wait to share tips and good places to go with this community. It's hard for me to remember many interesting things now that I did 5 years ago when I was there, but hopefully my mind will be refreshed after I return there :) Just a couple of things right now:

1. I'd like to recommend two of my favorite flavored ice-creams that I have only tasted in Japan. I love the Sakura (cherry-blossom) flavored ice cream that I tried at a store on the path leading to Kiyomizu Temple! Just amazing. Just as amazing is the Momiji (maple leaves) ice cream I tried, I think at Arashiyama...? It may have been at Miyajima (near Hiroshima, famous for their autumn leaves), but I'm pretty sure you can get it at Arashiyama, too.

2. A few friends and I dressed up as Geiko (apprentice Geisha) at a really fun little place that was also close to Kiyomizu Temple. It cost about $100, but they made us look amazing. Make-up, ornaments, kimono, etc etc. They also took professional pictures for us, and we were allowed to walk around outside for about an hour and a half if I remember correctly...it's one of my favorite memories, I would definitely recommend to anyone who is interested to know what it feels like to wear something so gorgeous, yet sooo cumbersome ^^ If anyone would like to know the exact address, please leave a comment and I will try to dig it up somewhere.

Anyway, nice to meet you all~

Current Mood: cheerful

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Introduction
Hello!! We are Aiko and Umeka, and we are in love with the city of Kyoto. ^_^ We have been there last summer, and will be going back soon, we hope. We have a lot of information on Kyoto, and have trekked all over the city, including the more famous geisha districts. ^^ We're really hoping to exchange information here!!

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Yaki-imo, Chaimon
Yaki-imo is a lifesaver for anyone who has been in japan in the winter. The little trucks calling out "Yaaaaki iiiimoooo". It is basically baked sweet potato. But not really the Yams like you get in the states. A bit for of a mild sweet and white not ORANGE.

There is a specialty resturant in Kyoto called Chaimon. It sells specialty yaki-imo and sweet potato cakes and such that are just TO DIE FOR. They are so good.



This is at the south east corner of sanjo just across the bridge. (across the street from book-off) You can get a varity of Imo here, including ones that are deep purple, others that are more like American yams, and normal yaki-imo also. The price is pretty good, 100g of imo is about 250 yen, which means a fist sized potato is about 350 yen. Their sweets and pies and such are 400 - 600 yen. It is also a cafe so you can get coffee and such if you want.

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Book Off... My favorite store.
I think a store than EVERY fan of of Manga and Anime should be familiar with is Book-Off. It is a chain of used manga-book-dvd-cd stores that are basically everywhere in japan, and there is even one in NYC.



This is the store at sanjo keihan station. Just across the sanjo bridge on the east side of the river. It is the biggest and easiest to find Book-Off in Kyoto. If you are looking for books, cds or manga i really recommend checking them out.

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Cash In Japan
This is an important point because Some guidebooks are still old and so you may not get this. It use to be that getting cash in Japan was really really hard. You had to go to very specifically approved banks or department stores and then use either U.S. cash or travelers checks and generally got sucky exchange rates. Well that is all different now. (thank goodness)

You can use most US ATM cards at any Postal Savings ATM. You get instant exchange rates just like with your credit card. There are no ATM fees other than what your bank charges you.

Finding a post office is all about finding the Big Red T thing.



There are post offices all over, generally the small ones will only have 1 ATM while big one will probibly have alot. Note that 24 hour ATM service is only avalable at the post office next to the JR Kyoto Station (i believe). ATMs are generally avalable duing busness hours or even a little later. And some small post offices will be closed on sundays. But all the big ones are open sundays until about 5 or so.



You can see the ATM networks avalable and the hours of operation (this is the sanjo keihan station post office)

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Shibori
If you are interested in kimono, and japanese cloth you may want to check out the Kyoto Shibori Kogei Kan.

http://shibori.jp/english12.htm

It is one of the few places left still doing alot of hand shibori. It is really cool. If you are not familiar with Shibori it is alot like tie-dying, but really much more detailed.

I went on same day reservations (called about 10am and went to class at 1pm) They have 1 or 2 classes a day tops. They do english! but only 1 person at the place speaks english so you need to make your reservation a bit more in advance. You get a great souvener silk piece of shibori to keep, they have a large amount of other things for sale also but it is all really expensive. The class itself is 3500 yen so not for the cheapskate. But if you have an interest i really recommend it.

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Store of Interest to an Anime Fan
A few friends have asked this so i thought i would log my favorite significant Anime and Manga oriented Stores. I am currently skipping my absolute Favorite, Book-Off because i did not get an picture and theya re a bit more out of the way. I will try to get some info about them soon.

I will also put this behind a lj-cut because there are a few pictures and it may not be of interest to other readers.

( Anime and Manga on Sankyou-ku and Tera-machiCollapse )

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Busses
I thought i would write a quick blurb about busses in Kyoto. Busses are GREAT and really useful in Kyoto. If you are not familiar with buses in Japan and such here is a number of quick points.

1) you board the bus in the back and exit from the from. You pay when you get _off_.

2) in Kyoto, all the city busses are 220 yen no matter what. So if you go 1 block or if you ride from the train station to kinkakuji it is 220. There are no transfers or such.

3) If you get on a bus to go outside of the city proper then you will take a number when you get on. then there will be a board in the front of the bus that tells you the fair for the current stop.

4) When you pay you drop the money in the top of the machine by the driver and get off. Exact change only. However do not fear, for that machine has a change machine built into the back. However you are expected to make change and such before you are getting off to keep things moveing smoothly.

5) If you are going to take more than 2 busses you want the "ichi nichi joushaken". It is a 1 day pass for all the busses for 500 yen. You can buy it on the bus (though sometimes the driver will have run out and you are stuck paying 220 for that ride) It is a card, when you first buy it you run it through the machine to get the date stamped on it. Then every other time during the day that you get off you just show the date to the driver as you get off. It is really really handy and i really recommend you get one of these for any day you are going to be wandering by bus.

6) Not all busses on a given road stop at every bus stop. Especially busy roads will break the busses into groups that will stop at different adjecent stops. So look at the bus stop to make sure the bus you want stops there and not half a block down.

7) Bus stops are pretty far apart. This means that if you miss your stop you will have a bit of a hike back. But also means that generally even if you just missed your bus, unless it is an evening or weekend you are best off waiting for the next one at the given stop.

8) Busses almost all stop running about 10-11 pm. This is important becaue if you are comming back late from somewhere and you miss the last bus you will end up with a bit of a hike on your hands or a $10+ cab fare.

humm anything else... if i think of anything i will add it.

[EDIT...] The name of the ticket is "ichi nichi joushaken" so i am correcting the post to reflect that. I am sure "ichi nichi juu na kippu" pretty much anything that makes it clear you want th 1 day pass will get you the ticket. You also may want to try to get it from the ticket vending machines Kyoto station or a ticket store since then you are sure to get it.

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Random Travel Tips
Just because i have nothing paticularly productive to post i thought i would post these few random travel tips just because. I am sure you have read them in some guide books which do better than I, but i find these few things paticularly important, partly because if forgot both today, and i have been in japan for almost a year total now. *smacks head*

1) Remember to bring your hankerchief. Or a small hand towel. Because bathroom rarely have hand towels of any sort avalable. Also also when you have rinsed your hands at a shrine you will want to have something to dry them with. Do not use your hanky to blow your nose generally blowing your nose in public is not looked well on.

2) Remember to bring your package of tissues. Because bathrooms often do not have any toilet paper. Even in big cities or such. You may be able to buy a pack in the bathroom if you are lucky, but generally. i try to have my hankerchif in one back pocket and a pack of tissues in the other.

Not bathroom related just because,

3) Dont underestimate the 100 yen stores. They ROCK! You can get all sorts of things you would never imagine being able to buy for 100 yen. If you are use to the junk you find in U.S. Dollar stores dont be turned astray. You have to go to the 100 yen store because you will find things would end up paying 10 times that for in other stores, Amazing but true. Especially if you have forgotten 1 and/or 2 above and want to buy replacements quickly and without much cost.

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Musashi sushi


Musashi sushi

This is my favoritest of favorite sushi places in Kyoto. It is really conviently located on the east north side of where sanjo dori starts off of Kawaramachi-dori.

It is kaiten sushi, meaning the type of place where the sushi is on plates on a convayer belt and best yet... it is 120yen a plate (that is about $1.10 or so) This means you can really eat your fill of very good sushi and not break the bank at all. They also have lots of fun things on the belt that are not just sushi, like daigakuimo and puddings and such.

A few points if you have never eaten kaiten sushi, if you want something specific and it is not appearing, just ask. they will make it for you. You searve yourself tea, you will have a cup and you get a teabag from a little container and there is a hot water spicket. It is really good!

The place is popular, so you may have to wait a bit, but the wait is almost never too long, people come and go alot so even if the line looks long it will probibly e worked through pretty fast.

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Tsujiri Green Tea


This is a picture of Tsujiri. It is a great green tea store in Gion on Shijo dori. (right side of the street headed toward the mountians about half way to the shrine at the end of the street)

They have FABILIOUS Mattcha sweets. If you go up to the second floor there is a cafe where you can get green tea, green tea ice cream, puddings, even green tea soba noodles. It is probibly the best green tea ice cream i have ever had. I really highly recommend it.

They have an english menu.

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Mr. Young Man -- Okonomiyaki
I wanted to make a small plug for Mr. Young Man resturant for Okonomiyaki.

If you have not have Okonomiyaki this is a great place to get some. It is very conviently located on the West side of Teremachi-dori right at Shijo-dori. So it is a great place to get Lunch when shopping.

The general price of the Okonomiyaki is about 700 - 800 Yen. And you can get a 'setto' which includes an Onigiri and some soup. Every time i have been there the service has been really friendly and the food really good. You can even get Chesse , corn or potato Okonomiyaki, very untraditional flavors.

I dont think the staff speaks any english, but i am sure they would be happy to help puzzle through things with you and your dictionary. Just remember your basic sushi flavors and that will help as will just adding japanese accents to the english words (that is how the have it in the menu even).

ebi = shrimp
ika = squid
pooku = pork
biifu = beef

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